Billionaires Battle to Get Your Vote

Sacramento Region, CA | Commentary by Harold Pease, Ph. D.

Most do not fully understand the influence of the billionaire class on our elections—many times more than Russia or China put together. Before voting in the midterms it might be wise to assess what billionaire influences you support.

Liberal news outlets, which are all the major networks except Fox News, and some radio talk shows, want followers to know that the Koch brothers, Charles and David, unduly fund Republican Party candidates and causes on the right side of the political spectrum. Liberal newspapers include almost all big city newspapers and most major national news magazines.

Conservative news outlets often fail to mention the Koch brothers and speak only of George Soros as the big funder for most liberal outlets. Neither mentions the other, leaving the impression that only the other is buying elections. Candidates cross and crisscross America with alms bowls in hand begging the mega-rich to buy them.

First let us consider George Soros. His money, exceeding $32 billion, is targeted for influence and political power over this nation and the world—all directed to the far left side of the political spectrum and the globalization (code for world government) of the world. Prominent among his myriad of well-funded socialist organizations are: ACORN, the Tides Foundation, Sojourners, The Quantum Fund, and Media Matters. Some of these organizations operate in other countries, as for example, The Open Society Institute (spends 425million a year on socialist causes) and Friends of the Earth, designed to build support for an international network of organizations dedicated to the environment. The Center for American Progress schedules their “experts” for talk show events even developing talking points for them. The Apollo Alliance played a major role in the development of the Stimulus Bill in 2010. The American Constitution Society defends far-left interpretations of the Constitution. And, MoveOn.org organizes action alerts to followers via the Internet.

No other one person, outside deceased David Rockefeller’s Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Trilateral Commission (organizations remaining the most powerful special interest groups in the U.S.), each also promoting the left and world government, has as many organizations as combat ready and as highly financed, as does George Soros. He hosted fundraisers for President Obama and made numerous visits to the White House. There is reason to believe that Soros greatly influenced the Obama presidency on: The Stimulus Bill, Cap and Trade, opposition to the extension of the Bush tax cuts, and banking reform.

Even now he is believed to be financing the communist/socialist/anarchist Antifa, the hundred or so demonstrations against President Trump the past two years, and the present impeach Trump and Brett Kavanaugh demonstrations. Most of the “yellers” in the Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings and those pounding and scratching the doors of the Supreme Court to force unlawful entree, just days ago, are believed to be funded by him. Still, the left side of the political spectrum fails to see this as threatening and dangerous to our republic.

Now for the Koch brothers, Charles and David, who built Koch Industries making it one of the largest privately held corporation in American. Their semi-annual summits attract the candidates, who discuss policy, and likeminded donors. “Freedom Partners is the central hub for the Koch-backed network that includes groups like the activist-recruiting Americans for Prosperity, the millennial-targeting Generation Opportunity and the Hispanic-wooing Libre Initiative. Taken together, the Koch-endorsed groups make up a political machine that raises and spends more money than any other republican outlet.

Democrats accuse Koch-backed groups of airing tens of millions of dollars in negative ads against incumbent Democratic lawmakers in the past and of helping the Republicans win a majority in the Senate. They also accuse them of funding the Tea Party movement—a charge without foundation. As far as we can document the Koch brothers have not funded demonstrations, street violence resulting in property damage, or confrontation with police and followers do not wear face coverings to hide their identities, like Antifa.

Obviously funding candidates and founding organizations pushing ideology is the game of some billionaires on both sides. The candidate with the most money and publicity usually wins and the rich, by their funding, select contenders long before the people vote. Some may argue, since both sides are doing the same thing that it is, in this respect, fair. But both parties project the image that only the other party invites billionaire influence.

This columnist, however, is unable to find the right side of the political spectrum, funding a single riot, or “yeller” dragged out of a committee hearing for disruptive behavior, or mob activity in the streets blocking traffic or damaging automobiles, or driving out of restaurants conservatives (even Senator Cruz) dining with their spouses, or cornering senators in elevators threatening them if they do not change their vote , or attempting to force entree into the Supreme Court. None!! So although billionaire candidates and organizations dominate both political parties there remains quit a difference.

So the question is, what billionaire buys your vote? One problem, however, is that since the media personnel haven’t themselves, as a group, voted less than 80% for a Democrat in the White House for the last 50 years, most Americans only hear about the Koch brothers as buying elections.

Dr. Harold Pease is a syndicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College. Newspapers have permission to publish this column. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.LibertyUnderFire.org.